Effective human computer interaction (“HCI”) for the control of complex parameter spaces requires intuitive design that frees the user from an understanding of the technical aspects of the space. This is particularly important in non-linear spaces where superposition does not apply. For example, the human perceptual system is highly nonlinear in that the optimization of individual parameters does not necessarily generate an overall optimization for the superimposed state. Further, even in linear spaces, it is undesirable to require users to interact using interfaces that are technical in nature.
For example, in the case of audio, users may wish to control a complex set of parameters associated with a digital signal processor (“DSP”). The use of sound emitting devices, such as cellphones, digitalized music players, computer tablets, and the like, for the purpose of communication and/or media enjoyment, is ubiquitous. Being able to adapt the device to a person's unique listening preferences may play a significant role in the quality of the communication of the sound as well as its enjoyment. Equalizers are well established user-interfaces that allow users to adjust the gains, frequencies, and magnitudes for audio and sound emitting devices, using sliders, knobs or other graphical elements
While experienced sound engineers and producers may be comfortable working with a physical or virtual mixing board exhibiting an array of sliders and knobs that may control such parameters as frequency gains and phases and temporal variables such as compression parameters, this type of interaction mechanism is neither effective nor attractive for most laypersons. Ideally a user could interact with a complex parameter space utilizing a friendly and intuitive interface that provided effective control of the parameter space without requiring any knowledge of the technical complexities of the space itself.